HIROSHI YAMANO

The sculpture of Hiroshi Yamano is infused with a delicate balance of eastern and western imagery. Each piece combines intricate etchings in gold or silver leaf on thickly blown three-dimensional forms.

Born in 1956 in Fukuoka, Japan, Hiroshi Yamano began working in glass in 1975 inspired by an exhibition of Scandanavian glass in Kyoto. After traveling to Europe, he returned to Japan to complete his studies. Yamano spent the next two years studying glass. First, at California College of Arts and Crafts, next as an apprentice with Marvin Lipovsky learning the creative aspects of glass. Subsequently, Yamano spent years at the Tokyo Glass Art Institute working and refining the technical aspects of glass.

By l988 Yamano mastered the techniques of hot glass, cold glass and the process of combining metallic surfaces to the glass. Since that time his work has been celebrated both in the United States and Japan.

Delving into his personal and multi-cultural history, a constant theme emerges. Repeated fish imagery represents Yamano’s personal journey struggling to keep “swimming” the waters of life’s events. The energy present is ever-flowing, not stagnant. The waters he refers to in this body of work “From East To West” are the shores of his homeland Japan. Hiroshi says about his inspiration:

“My work comes from all my experiences… The memories I have from my experiences [are] my most important treasures. To keep getting my treasures I have to keep swimming the world like a fish swimming in the waters, I am a fish who cannot stop swimming until my body stops to move. Maybe I will swim forever, like the Universe does.”

Yamano’s process begins with a thick blown-glass bowl, which is covered with silver and copper leaf. Schools of fish are etched into the surface. A wax resist is placed on top of the fish and the remaining exposed surface responds to an electro-charged mineral bath creating an antique like patina reminiscent of Japanese woodcuts and elaborate golden screens of the 1500s. Flat and concave facets cut into the surface provide transparent portholes refracting light and creating illusions of interior activity. Looking through the glass one swimmer looks like ten. Yamano creates three dimensional fish, balancing them in openings within the blown and faceted forms. The images mirror Hiroshi’s existence — sometimes half in one culture and half out. The sculptures appear to be lit with the golden rays of sunlight and create a sense of peaceful tranquility when colors of blue and rose are added to the pieces.

Yamano’s credits and recognition include The Rakow Commission from the Corning Museum of Glass. His works can be found in museums throughout the world including The Chrysler Museum in Norfolk, VA; Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, NY; Wheaton Glass Museum, Millville, NJ; Winter Park City Hall Winter Park, FL and The Wustum Museum of Fine Arts, Racine, WI.